Double Lung Transplant at Rela Hospital Breathes New Life into Mother of Two, Averting Heart Failure

Breathing new life into 44-year-old Ms. Kavitha, a mother of two daughters, Rela Hospital performed a high-risk double lung transplant and averted a heart transplant, which was becoming inevitable as her interstitial lung disease—a progressive condition that turns lungs fibrous, making them stiff and unable to support breathing—had begun to severely affect her heart.

The double lung transplant, being a major surgical undertaking, lasted approximately eight hours. Overseeing this complex procedure was a formidable 30-member team, led by Dr. Srinath Vijayasekharan, Director and Senior Consultant - Heart and Lung Transplantation, and Dr. Aishwarya Rajkumar, Clinical Lead - Transplant Pulmonology. The surgical team comprised a wide array of specialists, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensivists, pulmonologists, and perfusionists.

Post-operative care was equally critical and challenging, as the donor lungs—though a perfect match—needed time to adjust within the patient’s chest, which had shrunk due to disease progression over the past six years. The woman required a long ICU stay to regain enough muscle strength to sit, stand, and walk. It has now been several weeks since the surgery, and she is leading a normal life, able to care for herself and her two daughters. Her recent biopsy confirmed that the transplanted lungs are functioning well, although she will need to take immunosuppressant drugs for life.

In his comments, Prof. Mohamed Rela, Chairman, Rela Hospital, said, “It's incredibly rewarding to have successfully performed a double lung transplant on a patient who was initially unaware this life-saving option existed. She was in a critical condition, facing multiple complications that made the surgery exceptionally high-risk and demanding, both during and after the procedure. Where others saw too much risk, our dedicated lung transplant team at Rela Hospital saw an opportunity to save a life, drawing on their expertise. Many patients suffering from severe lung diseases don't realise that a transplant can be life-saving. We need to raise awareness about this option, and equally important, encourage organ donation to give more patients a second chance at life."

Talking about the condition of the patient, Dr. Aishwarya Rajkumar, Clinical Lead - Transplant Pulmonology said, “Kavitha's story is a remarkable testament to both her resilience and the life-saving power of transplantation. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the US in 2013, her condition tragically progressed to severe interstitial lung disease by 2016. The severity of her illness forced her return to India, where she needed family support to care for her two young daughters. A subsequent COVID-19 infection further worsened her lung function, eventually making her bedridden and dependent on continuous oxygen. By the time she arrived at Rela Hospital in November 2024, she was critically ill, requiring 15 liters of oxygen and profoundly weak after being bedridden for nearly 2 years. Her need for a double lung transplant was immediate; she simply wouldn't have survived without new lungs within a matter of weeks. The period leading up to the transplant was challenging, marked by multiple hospital admissions to stabilise her oxygen levels and combat infections. It was a race against time, and it was truly a blessing that compatible lungs became available when they did."

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